# Your favorite Mark Knopfler album **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 1, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970 "2023-10-01T23:20:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/1 "2023-10-01T23:20:38Z")
Mark Knopfler is a brilliant musician, both with Dire Straits and as a solo artist. Of all his albums, I consider “Get Lucky” his best, both for the quality of the songs and because taken as a whole it tells the arc of a man’s life, from jaunty youthful exuberance, through hard-won adult experience, to peaceful acceptance of the ending of a well-lived life. The last two songs are immeasurably poignant. Here’s a [YouTube page](https://youtu.be/X1LYDFkUdd4?si=hMq4nIZ2m1F30hEo) with the whole album. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/2 "2023-10-01T23:34:18Z")
_Love Over Gold_, followed very closely by _On Every Street_ and _Making Movies_. Been a fan forever. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/3 "2023-10-01T23:39:21Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Love Over Gold TIL that Knopfler wrote _Private Dancer_, recorded it in the _Love Over Gold_ sessions but decided not to include it in that album, and gave it to Tina Turner instead. Good decision on his part that it works better with a female vocalist, but what a song to give away. ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/4 "2023-10-02T00:50:20Z")
“Neck and Neck” which is a duet album with the late Chet Atkins. Understated but absolutely brilliant guitar playing by both of them ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/5 "2023-10-02T01:17:45Z")
Oh, yes, i think I have that CD. Amazing playing by both of them. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/6 "2023-10-02T02:53:16Z")
The _Local Hero_ soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/7 "2023-10-02T03:29:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > _Local Hero_ Now I’ve got the whole movie running through my head. And the moody synthesizer “whale songs” sliding into those brilliant acoustic melodies. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/8 "2023-10-02T03:40:43Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > The _Local Hero_ soundtrack. I was coming in to say that. (Although I don’t like the motorcycle track.) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/9 "2023-10-02T03:51:48Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > “Neck and Neck” which is a duet album with the late Chet Atkins. Understated but absolutely brilliant guitar playing by both of them I used to have a tape of that, recorded off a CD that a coworker had way back when. Not sure if I still have the tape, but even if I do, I don’t have anything to play it on anymore. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/10 "2023-10-02T04:17:05Z")
If Dire Straits albums count, _Making Movies_. “Romeo and Juliet” is one of my absolute favorite songs, bookended by “Tunnel of Love” and “Skateaway”…doesn’t get much better than that. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/11 "2023-10-02T17:14:35Z")
Knopfler is my favorite musician, by quite a long shot. Having to choose one out of his nine (!) solo albums, I’ll go with his third album, _The Ragpicker’s Dream_, which is one of my favorite albums by any musical artist. The atmospheric story songs, like the leadoff _Why Aye Man_, _Fare Thee Well Northumberland_, _Old Pigweed_, and the title song, are always fun to listen to. _Devil Baby_ is heartachingly beautiful (until you listen to the words – they’re pointing out the similarity between viewing unfortunate human carnival attractions and watching the lurid TV shows epitomized by Jerry Springer’s); despite the lyrics, I love the way that it subtly and gradually builds in tempo and the guitar work is simply wonderful. It’s a great album for an overcast day. It’s interesting to me, I think, that upon first listen his solo albums don’t really grab me – I was underwhelmed even by _The Ragpicker’s Dream_. But the more I listen to them, the more I like them Knopfler’s albums for movie soundtracks are stellar – it’s hard to imagine _The Princess Bride_ without Knopfler’s accompanying music, and the soundtrack to _Local Hero_ is like another warm and endearing character in what is my favorite movie. The _Last Exit to Brooklyn_ soundtrack is really great, too. His post-Dire Straits collaborations are really something to enjoy. In addition to the wonderful album with Chet Atkins, _All The Roadrunning_ with Emmylou Harris and The Notting Hillbillies’ (sadly) sole album are wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/12 "2023-10-02T19:03:04Z")
> [@Gordon\_Urquhart](#): > > Knopfler’s albums for movie soundtracks are stellar And I thought I’d heard them all, til I found the film _A Shot At Glory._ Huh, a soccer movie starring Robert Duvall? Well, the soundtrack is classic Knopfler Acoustic Magic. “Sons of Scotland” kicks it off, and the movie closes with “Sons of Scotland (Quiet Theme)”: > **[Sons Of Scotland (Quiet Theme) - Mark Knopfler](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlfwrgZFQQc%2F)** > > Soundtrack: A shot at glory ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/13 "2023-10-02T19:39:24Z")
I was coming to mention Princess Bride and his soundtracks as works of art that movie me, but you said it better than I. And Ragpicker’s Dream is my favorite of his solo works. (Didn’t have anything new to add, but always like to mention it when someone shares my tastes!) ---
**Author:** ![2\_More\_Bits](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2_more_bits/32/4148_2.png) [@2\_More\_Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_More_Bits)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/14 "2023-10-02T21:20:28Z")
I can’t pick a favorite. All his albums have much to recommend them and a couple of so-so tracks. But if you wanted to know what a couple of my favorite of his songs are… [Haul Away](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHJJYfuy4Ec) is a thing of beauty. And [Basil](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfeRBua8nGk) manages to be both autobiographical and biographical (a point in his young life when his path crossed with the poet Basil Bunting. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2023, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/15 "2023-10-02T23:33:48Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > > [@Lare](#): > > > > “Neck and Neck” which is a duet album with the late Chet Atkins. Understated but absolutely brilliant guitar playing by both of them > > I used to have a tape of that, recorded off a CD that a coworker had way back when. Not sure if I still have the tape, but even if I do, I don’t have anything to play it on anymore. [Amazon has it in four forms](https://www.amazon.com/Neck-Chet-Atkins/dp/B0000026UV). ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/16 "2023-10-15T04:30:13Z")
> [@Lare](#): > > Neck and Neck” which is a duet album with the late Chet Atkins. Understated but absolutely brilliant guitar playing by both of them Thanks for this recommendation. Just listened to it. You’re right - excellent! ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/17 "2023-10-15T16:09:35Z")
You’re very welcome. I always like to do things to prove I’m not a complete waste of carbon. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/18 "2023-10-15T17:41:14Z")
We can’t all be Mark Knopflers. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/19 "2023-10-15T18:04:01Z")
I am musically underexposed and have probably only heard a small fraction of his music. I like what I’ve heard, so will be using y’all’s curation to listen to some more. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970/20 "2023-10-15T22:15:24Z")
You won’t regret it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-mark-knopfler-album/990970.md?page=2)